The Hitchhikers
by Chevy Stevens
Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
“The Hitchhikers” is about Tom and Alice going on a trip in their RV in the 70’s, after suffering a loss of their own. They are road tripping to Canada, then see two hitchhikers! Stranger danger!! These hitchhikers are named Jenny and Simon and they are full of secrets and deceit. These hitchhikers end up being two people they should have never picked up!

Unfortunately, what I had anticipated as a suspenseful thriller developed into a gritty and violent struggle for survival. The violent rampage continues for the majority of the novel and is a struggle to read at times. It is far too long and could have been edited down without losing the essence of the story. There is ultimately some redemption and hope at the end of all this darkness, but it takes a long time to get there. I really enjoyed Dark Roads by the same author, so it is a shame this one didn’t work out for me.

I’ll admit I’m a huge critic of thrillers. It’s so hard to get them right but the ones that are right are AMAZING. I’ve read a few Chevy Stevens books and this one is no different in fact maybe my favorite?
It’s 1976 and Tom & Alice are road tripping from Seattle to the Olympics in Canada. They give Ocean & Blue, two young hitchhikers a lift. Ocean & Blue aren’t who they say they are as most people in thrillers don’t. They’re actually Simon & Jenny who are on the run for killing Jenny’s mom and stepdad. Oh and Jenny’s pregnant. I really did enjoy this one. The adventures that the absolutely terrible Bonnie & Clyde take poor Tom & Alice on are almost comical. Simon is absolutely insane. The Dairy Queen milkshake? Randomly being obsessed with a farm dog? Normally the make or break moment of these books for me is the ending and this one wrapped up very nicely 4.5/5⭐️

This was such a fantastic thrill ride! The Hitchhikers felt very much like The Strangers meets a tense psychological thriller—a disturbing take on home invasion. The setup is perfect: a nice, middle-aged couple offers help to a young couple on the run… but everything goes horribly wrong. It’s dark, suspenseful, and impossible to put down.

The whole time I wanted to yell at the characters like in a scary movie—“GIRL, what are you doing?!” That made it even more fun to read.

Highly recommended for fans of domestic thrillers and psychological suspense. You’ll definitely want this one on your reading list.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced digital copy of The Hitchhikers!

I love Chevy Stevens, nd this one did not disappoint! It gave all the creepy, 1970s vibes of people hitchhiking. A young couple who recently went through a miscarriage and are trying to reconnect take a road trip in their van. They pick up an even younger couple who are hitchhiking, but then they hear on the radio about a young couple (with the same description) as being wanted in a murder. The book is filled with tensio,n and I loved it!

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens pulled me in right away with its gritty atmosphere and emotional undercurrents. Set against the remote Canadian highways of 1976, the story balances suspense with deeply human questions: What makes someone "bad"? How much of who we are is shaped by circumstance? And when does kindness become dangerous?

This wasn’t just a thriller—it felt like a character study wrapped in tension. Stevens does a great job creating layered, flawed characters that feel real. While some of the plot points were predictable, I didn’t mind being along for the ride. I actually like letting a story unfold at its own pace, even if I can see where it's headed.

That said, I do think a few sections dragged a bit with detail that didn’t feel entirely necessary. A slightly tighter edit could’ve elevated the pacing without losing the emotional weight. Still, it was a solid, memorable read—and as my first Chevy Stevens novel, it definitely won’t be my last. I’m already adding more of her work to my TBR list.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

This book was suspenseful and stressful and… sweaty? Idk how to explain it but I felt like I was trapped in that RV with them.
Throughout the book you definitely get the feeling that something is off with Jenny and Simon but you’re not quite sure what. You know they’re on the run and likely killed Jenny’s parents but you don’t know why. Unfortunately the book kind of fell flat on the making you wonder why. Like, I should be trying to figure out these characters motives and plan but instead it felt like I was just along for the ride. You do find out eventually and everything just made me feel for Jenny’s character but for most of the book I just wasn’t that invested in their back story.
Alice is a certified badass. She puts up with so much and keeps Jenny and Simon in line to protect herself and Tom and honestly idk how she did it. I would’ve given up immediately but she stayed so strong throughout the whole book.
Poor Tom was just… there. Having a bad time. At first he seemed kind of bland but he really grew on me and I loved how he made sure Alice knew how much he loved and respected her.
This is a great summer thriller. Youve got cross country road trip meets hostage situation with a little bit of armed robbery mixed in. It does get a little repetitive in the middle but I did fly though it and I had a good time reading this book. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!

Chevy Stevens is an automatic read author for me. The Hitchhikers was a reminder of why I enjoy her novels so much.

I was gripped from the start of this novel. Chevy has a way of making you empathize with all her characters. Even though some of Simon and Jenny's choices seem irredeemable by the end you can't help but have an understanding of why they felt the ways they did. The ending of this book was beautiful in a bittersweet way. It also left me feeling bittersweet. I highly enjoyed this book, but am a little sad that I don't have another to read by the author. I can't wait for her next novel.


Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Chevy Stevens for allowing me to read this ARC.

This was my first book by Chevy Steven’s but I will definitely be reading more. This book kept me hooked the entire time. It was quite the ride (no pun intended). There were some surprises at the end as well. Will recommend this one for sure.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press fir the advance Kindle copy of this book.

The open road beckons.
A chance for them to reconnect.
Then they make a fatal mistake.

It’s the summer of 1976 and Alice and Tom set out on the remote Canadian highways in their new RV, hoping to heal their broken hearts after a devastating tragedy.

They’ve planned the trip perfectly, taken care of every detail. Then they meet two young hitchhikers down on their luck and offer them a ride. But Simon and Jenny aren’t what they seem. They’ve left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.

Now Alice and Tom are trapped, prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn. As the tension builds, the lines blur, and the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie? What secrets are Jenny and Simon hiding? And who will live another day?

I have read previous books by the author all of which I didn't really enjoy. Sadly this book falls into the same category. It dragged on and I didn't like the storyline. 2.5 out of 5 ⭐️

I have been a fan of Chevy Stevens since the beginning & have read every one of her books… This one had a hold on me from the first chapter! The book is set in 1976 before cell phones were popular & social media was everywhere. We forget how things used to be when the only way to get your news was from the radio & newspapers, etc….
I loved the main characters, Alice & Tom & how down to earth they seemed to be. It immediately made me nervous when they got friendly with Blue & Ocean. I was constantly trying to get one step ahead of what was happening.
Chevy always has you guessing what will happen from the first few pages down to the last chapter… There were times I thought I had everything figured out & then she would throw another loop in.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick, fast paced, suspenseful read!! Its one of
my top 5 of the year so far!!

A youngish couple, Tom and Alive, take to the road in 1976 to rekindle their marriage after the devastating loss of their newborn child. The meet and befriend a very young couple, Ocean and Blue (AKA Simon and Jenny), who initially seem like a very young couple trying to find themselves. As it turns out, Ocean and Blue are being sought by the police in conjunction with the brutal murders of Jenny's mother and stepfather. The ”thriller” nature of the book begins when Ocean and Jenny basically take Tom and Alice hostage during a Bonnie and Clyde-esque crime spree. Throughout the story we see Jenny bonding more with Alice and seeing Simon as manipulative, overbearing and cruel. The basic story of naive travellers being manipulated and abused by evil doers is not original, although making the "bad guys” to be teenagers is a little different.

This was my first time reading a Chevy Stevens' novel and may be my last. It is not a bad book - it is reasonably well written with characters that develop over time. It just isn't my cup of tea. It seems a little slow at times.
Jenny's history ond motivation are doled out in pieces. We never get much of Simon's background. We do get to watch Alice become more assertive. In other words, this is a female oriented story since Tom and Simon only get the barest of background details. The ”surprise” ending wasn't surprising - it was predictable 25% of the way in. Some of the violence and sexual abuse may be triggering to some sensitive souls. Overall, this was a 3 star book in my opinion.

I do want to thank St. Martin's Press, Chevy Stevens and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and provide my honest feedback.

A suspenseful tale set in 1976 Canada, where a couple's RV trip turns deadly after picking up two hitchhikers. Stevens masterfully builds tension, leading to a shocking twist. A chilling novel that keeps readers on edge.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
What a great book!
I've always loved this author and this book was excellent!
CONSTANT action with twists and turns at every corner.
I SOBBED at the end.
Such a great book that I'll be recommending to everyone!

Overall the story dragged a bit for me. The story follows Alice and Tom who go on an adventure of traveling in an Rv to escape their personal tragedy. While traveling they befriend a young couple named Ocean and Blue. The two couples travel for a bit until Alice realizes Ocean and Blue are not who they claim to be. The young couple are on the run from their past and holding Alice and Tom captive.

The book is set back in 1976. We meet, Tom and Alice who are trying to save their marriage by heading out on an RV trip across the remote Canadian highways. I felt they had a wonderful marriage, they are just a little, understandably sad, that’s all. Their marriage doesn’t need saving, but the description on back of the book said they did! Along the way they meet Ocean and Blue, two hitchhikers. They are really Jenny and Simon. they are trouble. Killer trouble. Things get wild and there are twists and turns , some you see, and some you don’t see coming! There’s a lot of reading of maps, since no GPS, or cell phones, lots of snacks also! it was kinda refreshing to step back in time! This book was a decent thriller, and I enjoyed by first book by this author.

#netgalley

The hitchhikers-who-are-actually-murderous-psychopaths trope is well-worn, but having the aforementioned murderers be teenaged was a fresh take. The last 1/4 of the book was a slog, but nice ending.

8:55


ring


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for
an honest review.


This review doesn't include any spoilers


First I'd like to mention a couple of trigger
warnings. You probably wouldn't pick up this book
without anticipating that there would be a certain
level of violence, so be aware of that and if you are
triggered by child sexual abuse you may want to
pass on this one as well.


The characterization is good with detailed back
stories for the primary characters. The story
format moves back and forth between the current
storyline and flashbacks, and that was handled
well. Both narrators have distinct voices and the
story was easy to follow even moving between
two characters current actions and memories, so
I have to really give the author credit for keeping
the story line pretty seamless even with that many
points of view.


The plot, however, is rather predictible, so this
wasn't a book that kept me on the edge of my
seat. With that said, it was still a well developed
storyline, and there are a few interesting twists.


In the end, it was a solid story, just not original
enough for me to go higher than three stars

Thank you #NetGalley #ChevyStevens #StMartinsPress for the ARC for an honest review.

A couple sets out to save their rocky marriage by setting off on a getaway with just the two of them. When they decide to befriend another couple in need, only to find out they are wanted for murder, the crazy begins.

This is told from the pov of both women and is an exciting tale of trying to survive a nightmare no one could have prepared for. I feel like I should have saw it , but I didn’t see the ending coming.

The Hitchhikers had a good storyline, but for some reason I really struggled to get through this one due to the pacing. Chevy Steven’s fans will love it, and still getting 4 stars, just wasn’t the one for me I suppose!

Not my favorite chevy stevens book but it still kept me hooked. I do wish the suspense of alice and tom knowing about Jenny and simon would have drug on just a little more before Jenny and Simone realized they were onto them because it started to get a little unbelieveable that it went on as long as it did without the cops catching up to them but I still loved it. Can't wait for her next one!